That's the promise of a best-selling author whose seminars -- including some in the Pittsburgh area --draw thousands of people.

But a Channel 4 Action News investigation finds some who hope to get rich are actually losing thousands of dollars.

The author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad" -- the best-selling personal finance book of all time -- parlayed that success into a company that does get-rich seminars around the country, including the Pittsburgh area. They can cost thousands of dollars.

But few going to his seminars know about the lawsuits, investigation and even a bankruptcy involving the Rich Dad companies.

Robert Kiyosaki is a rock star in the world of personal finance, a familiar face on the networks for the past decade.

So it's no surprise that when Kiyosaki's Rich Dad seminars came to the Pittsburgh last month, people flocked to area hotels to learn his secrets.

“Join me and go inside and we'll get started, come on in,” said a Rich Dad employee.

Channel 4 Action News was there at seminars in Monroeville and Youngstown in April.

“Congratulations on taking a few valuable hours of your time to come and update and upgrade your skills with us. I know it's going to be well worth your time,” the Rich Dad employee said.

This seminar was free but speakers spent most of their time trying to convince participants to attend another seminar costing $200. And that is just the beginning.

“The first seminar is a teaser for you,” said Kevin Kacvinsky, a financial planner who went to a series of Rich Dad seminars in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. “I think it cost us about $15,000.”

Reporter Paul Van Osdol asked if he learned the secrets to making big money.

“What we discovered was we could have found all the information they gave us in a book from Barnes and Noble,” Kacvinsky said.

At least he can afford to laugh about it. That's not the case for Robert Maurice of Tennessee who joined a class action lawsuit against Kiyosaki and the Rich Dad companies after he spent $42,000 on seminars. The suit was dismissed not on its merits, but in part because it was not filed in the right state. Maurice and his wife later filed bankruptcy.

Last year, the Florida attorney general accused the Rich Dad seminars parent company of deceptive trade practices. The company, without admitting liability, agreed to pay the attorney general $500,000 plus another $194,000 in restitution to victims who attended seminars.

But Rich Dad's trainers never mentioned the Florida case at the Youngstown seminar.

“Van Osdol: Did they say anything about Florida suing them last year? Dennis Gallo, seminar participant: No that was never mentioned. I think that might hurt the seminar's reputation considerably.”

Nor was there mention of this: One of Kiyosaki's companies, Rich Global, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year after getting hit with a $23 million court judgment.

“I really think that would have been a nice thing to know,” said seminar participant Kathryn Senedak.

Van Osdol talked to Rich Dad at the Youngstown seminar.

Van Osdol: "Why was the lawsuit itself not disclosed?"

Katie O'Brien, Rich Dad Education: "The lawsuit was not disclosed. I'm sorry I can't give you an explanation as to why it was not disclosed.”

Van Osdol: "How much does the average person make who comes out of this class?"

Lucus Kevan, Rich Dad Education: "I don't know what the average success rate would be. I guess it would be the same success rate for someone who joins a gym.”

Van Osdol went to Phoenix, home base for the Rich Dad companies, to ask Robert Kiyosaki himself about what's said and not said at those seminars. He caught up with Kiyosaki at a book store where he was signing copies of his latest book.

“Van Osdol: There are critics who say your seminars are giving people false hope of making easy money. Your response to that? Robert Kiyosaki: They're critics. I'll always have critics.”

Then his handlers stepped in.

Van Osdol: "Can you answer some questions Mr. Kiyosaki? We're trying to ask him some questions about his seminars."

Woman: "This is not the time or the place."

So Van Osdol tried asking one of Kiyosaki’s advisors about the Florida attorney general case.

Later, Rich Dad officials said they get positive reviews from 95 percent of the people taking advanced classes, including a Pittsburgh couple.

“There is some risk involved in it,” said Charlie Pellegrini.

He and his wife Janet -- former owners of the Tambellini restaurant in Pittsburgh -- say the Rich Dad seminars convinced them to sell their restaurant and get into real estate. Now they fix up and sell houses.

“And we made that money back every year in a different fashion from something we learned at one of the classes we took,” said Janet Pellegrini.

But a financial planner said it's much easier to make money if you already have money.

Van Osdol: "Is it worthwhile for people to spend $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 on an education like this?"

John Barbour, financial planner: "Well, I certainly wouldn't. On their web site and others there are tabs that say success stories and they're motivating and fun to read. But there are no tabs that say failure stories."

One of those stories involves a 75-year-old widow in Missouri who took out a second mortgage for the $35,000 cost of the Rich Dad seminars. She later filed a lawsuit that was settled with no admission of liability.

The Pennsylvania attorney general would not say if they've received complaints about Rich Dad. But the Better Business Bureau reports 73 complaints in the past three years. They give the company a C-plus rating.

Response Statement from the Rich Dad Education spokesman, Dan Brady:

The overwhelming majority of people who have purchased Rich Dad Education products and programs are satisfied with the education and value received. For example, a survey conducted among Rich Dad Education Elite Training students found that more than 95% would recommend the course they took to others.

The most conclusive evidence of customer satisfaction is the absence of complaints. In 2012, total complaints to any external source (e.g., Better Business Bureau, state Attorneys Generals, etc.) about any Rich Dad Education products/programs amounted to less than one-tenth of one percent of the 112,000+ people that participated in our programs. In other words, more than 99.9% of all Rich Dad Education participants over the past year registered no external complaint whatsoever. Of the small number of issues that were brought to the attention of our customer service team’s Student Resolution Department (fewer than one quarter of one percent of all participants), Rich Dad Education has successfully resolved nearly all of them.